


white mocha (as it began)

by epherians



Series: Maycury Week 2019 [3]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Awkward Flirting, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Getting Together, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Inspired by a Queen Song, Love at First Sight, M/M, Maycury Week, Prompt Fic, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:41:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21594739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epherians/pseuds/epherians
Summary: Freddie’s life as a barista changes forever when a handsome, curly-haired customer enters the coffee shop.Written for Day 3 of Maycury Week 2019.
Relationships: Brian May/Freddie Mercury
Series: Maycury Week 2019 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1475138
Comments: 6
Kudos: 54
Collections: Maycury Week 2019





	white mocha (as it began)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts for Day 3 (September 4th):
> 
>   * **coffee shop au**
> 

> 
> I wrote this whole thing because "white mocha" sounds like "White Queen" and I regret nothing.

The life of a coffee shop barista was a hard one, but not an impossible one. For Freddie, he prided himself on being a charming salesman. He took the metaphor of running a shop like running a show to heart and performed his best everyday. Working the register wasn’t so terribly bad (if not extremely nerve-wracking at all times) once Freddie started to know his regulars and happily conversed with them like familiar friends.

Everything was going smoothly until that one customer who showed up and made Freddie drop everything just to stare. Now make it no secret, but Freddie absolutely could not keep a poker face or hide his heart from his sleeve to save his life. How could he with the man who looked positively terrified of the menu board and felt like he was out of place in a coffee shop? (Plus, with that abundantly curly hair and gorgeously sharp cheekbones and tall long-legged stature, was _anyone_ aware this man was attractive???)

“I’ll have the…” he speaks up, causing Freddie to snap out of it and be ready at the register.

“Yes, darling, what could I get for you?” ( _Oh shit, did he just really call him-_ )

“I’ll have the white mocha, um, medium size,” he says, and oh, he really has a voice sweeter than any sugar or syrup.

“Perfect,” Freddie confirms after labeling the cup. “And your name?”

He looks like a scared deer as he responds, “Brian,” but Freddie was preoccupied with other thoughts—namely that he liked the name _Brian_ and thought _Brian_ was a very suitable name for someone as attractive and pleasant as _Brian_. Oh, _Brian…_

Somehow Freddie manages to keep it cool while completing the payment part of Brian’s order, and although his attention was called to the rest of the queue, a small part of his heart sinks once he sees Brian head out the door with drink in hand, and he never quite recovers his motivation for the rest of the day.

Freddie doesn’t expect Brian to come back but there he is, the gorgeous boy with curly hair coming up to the register.

“You’re back!” the barista blurts out suddenly but _oh god he’s not supposed to do that he probably just scared off the customer forever_.

“Um, yes,” Brian blinks, several times to show he was REALLY nervous (and probably that he didn’t like his privacy ruined). But then he adds, “I think I’m starting to like this place.”

Freddie couldn’t help but smile in return. “Well, it delights me that you’re here, darling.”

Freddie fell hard for that dreamy customer, _Brian_ , and it was becoming obvious just how much he made his day. He was lucky Brian always had his eyes glued to a book because Freddie could not hide his blush whenever he asked for Brian’s order. On the off-chance he didn’t have much to do, Freddie would peer over the counter and observe Brian absorbed in his studies, poring over papers, flipping through books. And somehow that added intelligence factor made Freddie fall for him even _more_.

“You’re going to ask him out, right?”

Roger’s question nearly gives Freddie a heart attack. “Wait! Shhh! Not while he’s right there!”

“He won’t bite,” John comments. “He’s too busy looking at his books and papers.”

“If only he looked at Freddie the same way he looked at his books…” Roger sighs. “You know he’s working towards his PhD, right?”

“ _Are you kidding me!?_ ”

“He’s in astrophysics, I believe,” John supplies.

“So, you know, you’re actually in good taste picking him out,” Roger winks, but notices Freddie’s glum face. “Hey, Fred… you know we’re only jesting, right?”

“I can’t talk to him…” Freddie mutters. “I just can’t! Not like this!”

“Don’t worry! We’ll think of a way so that you can talk to him!” Roger and John both pat him on the back, and Freddie has never felt more embarrassed.

Freddie still has no shame in staring. How can such a studious, handsome student who loves this particular coffee shop exist? How can Brian visit the shop, order a white mocha and make verbal contact with Freddie for fifteen seconds, then humbly get on with his day everyday and STILL be so out of reach? Roger and John can rib him all they want, but- oh Mother Mercury, Freddie is just so terrified to make a move on him!

If only there was a way he could safely make his feelings known… like a phone number on a coffee cup, or a cheesy pickup line, or a little spin on Brian’s favorite drink.

Freddie goes with the third option, and calls this special version of the white mocha “the White Queen.” Of course, the one day he’s ready with the barista sales pitch, everything just goes wrong.

First, Brian arrives in the morning—he NEVER arrives in the morning!—fidgeting in the queue and mentioning he’s in a hurry when ordering his usual. Freddie is so overwhelmed with the morning rush (there’s only three of them working on shift for some reason) and that comment sticks to him that he STILL insists on making Brian’s order like he always has. It’s only right after handing it off to the bar that Freddie connects the grimace of Brian’s first sip to the wrong milk carton he grabbed—

—and before he can do anything to fix this, there’s a new rush or orders and Brian has already left the shop.

As far as Freddie cares, this is now the worst day ever. Roger and John try to console him, but it’s hopeless. Brian will hate that his drink wasn’t made right, that the barista he trusted didn’t make it right, and he’ll never come to this coffee shop again. _The one person who could make this job less of a living hell, gone forever!_

At least, until Brian shows up later that same evening.

The shop is much quieter in the hours before closing. As Brian makes a beeline for Freddie at the register, he is despondent.

“I’m sorry!”  
“I’m sorry!” They both say at the same time.

Freddie is confused. “What do you mean?”

“I should be the one apologizing,” Brian pleads. “I was too rash this morning. I was late for class and thought I could get my coffee on time, but I underestimated how long the queue would take. Yes, the drink had the wrong milk instead of the usual, and I had to leave so I could make it to class on time, but who am I to complain? You were in a rush with all the other orders this morning, so I could understand how overwhelming it must have been for you.”

By this point, Freddie has only realized what a beautiful saint Brian is, from the way he looks to the way he talks that everything else about him has been completely acceptable. “You don’t need to apologize, darling! It is my job to make sure the customer is satisfied, and I didn’t do that today.”

“Well… maybe that’s why I came back.” Brian offers a small smile.

“I thought you were gone forever…” Freddie admits.

“Gone? How could I not come back? You’re my favorite place to be!” Brian laughs, but not without realizing that unintentional slip. “Um… I meant…”

“Could I make it up to you, then? With a special white mocha, done properly this time?” Freddie asks.

Brian smiles. “Of course… What’s special about this special white mocha?”

“Well, I was fiddling around, trying to see if I could make a creation of my own after working with these ingredients for so long…” As Freddie starts to make the drink, at his own relaxed pace, a surge of confidence ensues. “I’ve added just a few more things here and there to hopefully bring out the flavor more. I call this one, _the White Queen,_ ” he says as he hands the finished drink to his patient customer.

His heart is hammering as Brian takes a first sip—maybe the last thing a customer wants after having his drink made wrong is to have it changed up again—

“Thank you. This is really good, actually.” Brian sounds like he enjoyed it but Freddie wants to make sure.

“For real?” When Brian nods, it gives him the courage to further ask, “I was wondering if perhaps…we could spend some time and talk after this?”

Brian gulps. “When are you available…?”

“I close the shop soon, darling.”

“Oh, that’s…really soon.”

“Indeed it is,” Freddie blushes. “I’m sorry, I probably should’ve written my number on your cup or something.”

“N-No, I’m glad you got me at a good time! To- ask me out?” Brian blushes harder and it’s apparent they’re both very new to flirting. “You’re the reason this is my favorite coffee shop, actually…”

“And you’re my favorite customer…” Freddie responds, nervous but happy. “So, would you like me to make another drink?”

(From the backroom, Roger and John cheer and dance for their friend this entire time. They do not regret being holed up here until closing.)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos appreciated, I haven't written in two months but I hope you enjoy your day!


End file.
